Difference between revisions of "Act-Omission Distinction"

Act-Omission Distinction (view source)

1,427 bytes added , 04:39, 18 January 2022

no edit summary

1,166

edits

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 == Overview ==
+The debate over the act-omission distinction is whether there is a moral distinction between choosing to take an action or choosing to not take an action.
+For instance, suppose Person <math>A</math> sees that Person <math>B</math> is about to fall off a cliff, could stop that from happening, but chooses not to. Across the ravine, Person <math>C</math> pushes Person <math>D</math> off the cliff. Is Person <math>A</math> just as responsible for Person <math>B</math>'s death as Person <math>C</math> is responsible for Person <math>D</math>'s death?
+Those in favor of the act-omission distinction would say that <math>A</math> is not responsible for <math>B</math>'s death because <math>A</math> did not actively kill <math>B</math>. Those against the act-omission distinction would say that <math>A</math> is just as responsible for <math>B</math>'s death because <math>A</math> made the choice to not save <math>B</math>.
+=== Debate Applications ===
+Often, debaters running [[utilitarianism]] will justify there not being an act-omission distinction and say that only consequentialist frameworks can hold agents morally culpable in such a manner. It's worth noting that this argument doesn't actually justify util but more-so excludes frameworks that operate under the assumption of there being an act-omission distinction.
+== Common Arguments ==
+=== Act-Omission Distinction ===
+=== No Act-Omission Distinction ===